Underwater exploration is difficult for some obvious reasons, but it’s so important to understand marine environments. How does pollution affect marine life near the shore? What effect does temperature and salt levels have on the growth of seaweed? Does the amount of seaweed in a given area affect the biodiversity in that area? Upward Bound students have lots of questions about the water surrounding south Florida, and since they can’t really go underwater themselves, they are using remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs). Not only are they going to use ROVs to explore underwater, but these 19 students are going to build the ROVs themselves in groups, then use them in the waters around south Florida to collect data for a science project they’ve designed themselves. With ROV components and instructional materials supplied by Erica Moulton and the MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) Center, students have begun to construct some components of their ROVs, including the propellers and all the wiring for the control box. The next steps are building the structure of the ROV itself using PVC pipes and connectors of various shapes and sizes, and then the students will be ready to put the ROVs in the water to explore. Stay tuned to see what the students build and discover!

Students weave wires together

An Upward Bound mentor helps students to solder wires

Wiring the control box of the ROV

There is a constant battle in many places between the environment and human activity, and south Florida is one of those places. But on Saturday May 12th, the Museum’s Reclamation Project took steps to help the environment win the battle. With the help of 102 volunteers, this eco-art based restoration project completed the final phase of restoration of the freshwater wetland at Highland Oaks Park. Within this park is the beginning of the Oleta River, which is the only fresh water tributary to Biscayne Bay that has not been altered by flood control systems – which means it flows naturally and unimpeded from source to sea. The restored Highland Oaks habitat will provide the low-salinity environment necessary for fisheries as well as a critical nesting and foraging area for native birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. With this goal in mind, volunteers planted 642 freshwater native plant species in the cypress wetland area of the park. Who were all of these volunteers? About half were people from around our community, and half were youth participants in the Museum’s award-winning Upward Bound Math and Science Program. The students planted trees and shrubs, removed invasive plants that threaten the site, and learned about the important role native habitats play in a growing metropolis such as Miami. After completing the replanting phase at Highland Oaks, the students are ensured that nature will take care of the rest. Native fish, birds and mammals are already returning to the site. The power of volunteer restoration is that it allows Miami residents to have a direct role in bringing nature back to our city.

Volunteers help restore Highland Oaks Park

The Museum's Upward Bound staff joins the effort

“This was the best experience in my life. I can’t wait to do this next year!” This kind of response, from a 9^th grade student who participated in her first Upward Bound annual camping trip, is what we live for at the Museum. This year, 32 students went on the camping trip to Markham Park, on the edge of the Everglades. There were team-building activities like making a human spider web, leadership activities like figuring out a group puzzle without talking, and one-on-one mentoring talks. Something they did NOT have (shocker alert) is cell phones or any other electronics! Some students may have found it difficult not to be able to text for three whole days, but the idea of the trip was to accomplish tasks in teams, learn to communicate your thoughts and feelings, and try new things with new people. And throughout all of it there was lots of other camping fun – putting up and sleeping in your own tent, making s’mores, telling ghost stories, looking at constellations, and even going on night excursions to see wildlife. No wonder students can’t wait until next year!

We recently announced the fantastic news that some of our Upward Bound and Digital Wave students had been finalists for some prestigious scholarships. We are so proud to report that we officially have 2 winners of the Dell Scholars Program, and 1 winner for the Gates Millennium Scholars Program! These are not your everyday scholarships. These are like hitting-the-jackpot type of scholarships.

The Dell scholarship includes: $20,000 towards college expenses, technology equipment, a private scholar networking community, and mentoring support throughout college. The Gates Millennium scholarship provides a full ride for college expenses, opportunities to renew the scholarship if academic progress is maintained, leadership development programs, and even funding for graduate school in the areas of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health, and science.

So who are our academic all-stars who earned the jackpot?

Gregory Hyppolite, winner of the Dell Scholars program, plans to attend the University of West Florida. At the Museum, he has participated in the Upward Bound program since ninth grade as well as the Digital Wave program. He is a member of the Museum’s Youth Advisory Board and holds a position as Explainer to help supplement his family’s income. At school, he is a member of the Leadership Team and has earned an internship position with the Superintendent of Miami-Dade County, Alberto M. Carvalho. Greg is a natural leader, ambitious, and as any other student will tell you, is always willing to lend assistance to anyone in need.

David Green, believe it or not, has earned both the Dell AND the Gates scholarships! David has also been a long-time participant in the Museum’s Upward Bound and Digital Wave programs. Graduating as valedictorian this year, he plans to attend the University of Florida. He has been actively involved in his school’s robotics team, tutors other students, has helped develop the Overtown Cookbook, all while holding a steady part-time job. Quick, thoughtful, and encouraging to his peers, he believes that “education is my refuge in adversity.”

Here is an opportunity for YOU to help some amazing high school students get started in college!

The senior class of this year’s Upward Bound Math & Science Program is another group of exceptional high school students who represent the first in their families to attend college. It is always with mixed emotions that we say goodbye to these students who have become part of our Museum family. We are sad to see them leave, but we are also incredibly proud of them. This year, all 17 active program participants are graduating and have been accepted to colleges all over the country. We also have 3 Posse Scholar finalists (which provides full tuition and mentoring throughout college), 3 Dell Scholar finalists (which provides $20,000, a Dell computer and printer, and mentoring), one Gates Millennium finalist (which includes a full ride for college and graduate school), and one Coca-Cola Scholars finalist (for a full ride to Emory University).  At this point, the students have collectively earned over $30,000 in scholarships to cover their expenses for college.

The transition from high school to college can be intimidating, so we provide College Readiness classes, which teach skills in organization, time-management, prioritizing, studying, and networking – we even connect the students to other Upward Bound alumni who can share experiences and offer advice. The last component to our seniors’ successful transition to college is the College-Starter Basket.  Each active participant has worked very hard and is rewarded with a personalized basket containing an assortment of household supplies, school supplies, and technology equipment.  This is where you come in! Each basket contains $570 worth of materials, and only through your financial contributions to the Miami Science Museum Youth Programs, will we be able to provide our students with this last component.

Please help support our outstanding youth by contributing to our College-Starter Baskets at: https://www.miamisci.org/www/annualappealform.html.  To ensure that the Youth Programs Staff receive your tax-deductible donation, please put “youth programs” in the comments section of the online form. You can also send a check (include “youth programs” in the memo line) to:

Miami Science Museum
Attn: Youth Programs
3280 S Miami Ave
Miami, FL 33129

If you have any questions please contact Amy Rubinson, Upward Bound Math & Science Director, at 305-646-4295 or arubinson@miamisci.org.

A state-wide college tour. That sounds like a dream opportunity for any high school student exploring college options. Twelve students from the Museum’s Upward Bound program recently went on such a trip with Museum staff, and visited five universities all throughout Florida: University of West Florida, Florida State University, University of North Florida, University of Florida, and University of Central Florida. Did we mention this was all in less than a week? On this whirlwind tour, students toured the campus grounds, departments, and housing, and also had a few other unique experiences. At the Florida State University School of Law, they met the Dean and the admissions team, and also witnessed a simulation of closing arguments from the University’s Mock Trial Team. Another highlight of the trip was that students were able to meet up with former Upward Bound students who are now attending Florida State University, the University of Florida, and the University of Central Florida. Now all that’s left is some big decision-making.

University of North Florida

Florida State University

University of Florida

On January 24, 2012, Cheryl Lani Juárez, the Museum’s Sr. Director of Professional Development, was invited to speak with Univision’s highly popular national radio host Dr. Isabel Gómez-Bassols. The interview focused on the role science centers and museums play in engaging families in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) during out of school time learning.

Ms. Juarez talked about some of the Miami Science Museum’s educational programs as examples of how science museums can reach learners of all ages in their communities. For example, the Miami Science Museum developed ECHOS (Early Childhood Hands-On Science), a preschool science curriculum and professional development model that is currently being tested with Head Start teachers and children in classrooms throughout Miami-Dade County. The Museum also developed APEX (Afterschool Program Exploring Science) for K-5 students. Dr. Isabel was especially interested in the Museum’s Upward Bound Math and Science program, which has helped prepare over 500 low income, first-generation college bound students for postsecondary study in STEM fields.

Dr. Isabel’s  program is part of Univision’s national education campaign, entitled Es el Momento and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Univisión is committed to disseminating educational information through all their media platforms including television, radio and web, to raise general awareness of resources available to address the Latino education crisis in STEM fields.

A summary of the interview, titled “Más ciencia para una nación mejor” (More Science for a Better Nation) can be found on the Es el Momento section of Univisión’s website at http://vidayfamilia.univision.com/es-el-momento/doctora-isabel/article/2012-01-24/ciencia-educacion-futuro-nacion

The Upward Bound program at the Museum is made up of lots of students who represent a wide variety of backgrounds, interests, personalities and career objectives—and as it turns out, a wide range of impressive talents. The Upward Bound Showcase was recently held at the Museum, and it was a fitting title for the event. It showcased student performances which included tap dancing, poetry reading, playing musical instruments, singing and rapping original works, as well as dance and spoken word performances. Over 75 people attended the event, including family and friends, as well as lots of Upward Bound alumni who also showed up to lend their support. Pollo Tropical donated the food for the evening, and a great time was had by all.

Eighteen students in the Museum’s Upward Bound IMPACT program had the adventure of a lifetime, not to mention first-hand experience with nature’s food chain, when they went on an overnight expedition in August sponsored by the University of Miami’s Center for Latin American Studies. They joined the University’s R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation team at Broad Key research field station, and worked with world-renowned shark researcher Neil Hammerschlag, who studies local shark populations around South Florida. Students researched the habitats of smaller fish when large predators enter the area, learned about migration patterns of sharks and sea turtles throughout the waters off Florida and Latin America, and together they caught (just for temporary observation and tagging) hammerhead, lemon, and nurse sharks. Over the two days, students also spent time snorkeling and kayaking on the reef and along mangrove forests, collecting samples and observing natural marine habitats. As with any experience-of-a-lifetime though, especially in nature, some things are a trade-off. Just as students were observing sharks and marine habitats, all of the mosquitoes in the area were endlessly conducting their own experiments on the student researchers. But the lack of civilization and the soothing sounds and silence of the environment more than made up for it. It was an experience they’ll never forget. Check out what the students have to say about it:

- A research scientist called me up to go and pull in a bait line. I pull and pull and at the other end waiting was a hammerhead shark! I had just pulled in a hammerhead shark! As soon as the shark was secured aboard the boat the scientists went to work and quick. A hammerhead shark is rare and they want to work as quickly as possible as to not disturb it as much. The hammerhead shark was to recieve a satalite tag meaning that tag would allow the shark to be tracked by satellite. –Marlenni

- The nurse shark has rough skin which makes it easier to get shark burn which is when your skin rubs against a shark’s skin the wrong way creating a peeling and soreness of the area.  The first place where we caught a nurse shark was by the mangroves because it was a baby and still needed protection from large animals that could eat it. The shark trip was fun other than shark tagging too, because of all of the other marine animals that I was able to see. There was not anything I would say to improve the trip but a longer time period to stay. –Taylor

The R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation Program has now released a video from the IMPACT expedition. Get ready to join the adventure.

Upward Bound IMPACT at Broad Key with RJD from R.J. Dunlap Marine Conservation on Vimeo.

Earlier this month, almost 70 teens from the South Florida area gathered at Miami Science Museum for a session on critical thinking and decision-making, and how it shapes global opinion, hosted by the Museum’s newest ambassador group, the MiaSci Teen Ambassadors. Guest speaker, and famed Florida International University journalism and communications professor, Dr. Fred Blevens, discussed the emerging discipline of news literacy and how it influences judgment and ideas.

“Working with the MiaSci Teen Ambassadors program was the highlight of my fall,” said Dr. Blevens. “It was a perfect place to start getting young people to think critically about the deluge of information around them and to understand why privacy is important in their lives. The kids in the program were engaged and engaging, smart and fun. An experience I’ll never forget.”

Attendees, which included many students from the Museum’s Upward Bound program, mulled over important questions such as: How can you tell what’s true and what’s not? Do you know that lying is most likely the result of someone keeping a secret? Dr. Blevens helped the students learn to think critically about information, and how one can get at the closest version of the truth possible.

“This was a great session. It’s wonderful that the Museum is offering programming designed specifically for teens,” said Alexander Futernick, MiaSci Teen Ambassador board member. “I learned that in order for our thoughts to be objective, we must think critically about the information presented and analyze it to remove bias. I’m looking forward to the next session on College Prep!”

The Miami Science Museum Teen Ambassadors are comprised of students from Miami-Dade and Broward Counties who have an interest in the sciences and their community. This group was formed in order to showcase, highlight and share with other teenagers all the great happenings the Museum has to offer. The Teen Ambassadors will host a series of events at the Museum, including various focus sessions geared toward college prep, community involvement, sustainability and more. Each focus session will also include interactive activities and challenges throughout a different area of the Museum, including the Planetarium, Wildlife Center (supported by the Batchelor Foundation), Sea Lab, Energy Tracker and more.

The next event, “College Prep & Professionals Meet & Greet,” with special guest speaker Felix Dominguez from the Museum’s Upward Bound program, is scheduled for January 2012 at the Museum.

To learn more about the MiaSci Teens, visit: http://www.miamisci.org/events/teens/

This article was written in collaboration with Tanner Steslow, member of the MiaSci Teen Ambassador Board.